If you’ve ever performed an Amazon search, you’ve probably noticed that the products with the most reviews tend to be ranked higher, which makes you assume reviews are the sole reason products rank well.
However, what do you think came first? Is the good ranking a result of a large number of reviews, or is a large number of reviews the result of a good Amazon ranking and, therefore, lots of purchases?
Whether you’re a business owner wanting to expand your sales channels or an individual looking for supplemental income, selling on Amazon can be a great opportunity.
Along with Amazon, however, comes great competition. Having your product listings properly optimized for Amazon’s A9 Algorithm is crucial to competing.
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5 things all Amazon sellers should know about Amazon SEO
1. Amazon’s Search Engine is Different From Other Search Engines
Amazon’s search engine is constructed differently than search engines such as Google or Bing, and should, therefore, be treated differently.
Amazon’s search engine is, above all else, a search engine for shopping. Whereas Google and Bing want to show you the most relevant results regardless of the motive for the search, Amazon’s main goal is for you to buy the products listed on their site.
Here are several factors that are likely to be weighted more heavily by Amazon’s search engine:
- Price
- Availability
- Sales History
- Conversion Rate
- Click Through Rate
While these are factors in other search engine algorithms as well, Amazon focuses on them more intensely because they will lead to more sales, which in return allows Amazon to make more money.
Therefore, having your Amazon products properly priced, always in stock, and optimized for conversion are important in ranking well in Amazon A9.
If learning the complexities involved with Amazon’s algorithm seems too difficult to accomplish on your own, we can help you improve your rankings with our Amazon SEO Services.
2. Targeting the Right Keywords is Crucial
Since Amazon’s product rankings are intended to provide the best possible options for purchase to its customers, an Amazon seller’s main goal should be to show Amazon that they have the most relevant product for a variety of relevant search terms.
So how do you accomplish this? Quite simply, you target the correct keywords.
There are numerous different keyword tools out there to help you conduct proper keyword research. While there are a few good keyword tools that aren’t free, let’s focus specifically on keyword research tools and strategies that work for Amazon that are completely free.
- Google Keyword Planner: This free tool allows you to see how many searches there are for a specific term on Google. If a certain word shows up thousands of times on Google, then it is likely showing up in Amazon’s searches as well.
- Amazon Auto Fill: AutoFill is a great way to come up with secondary and tertiary keywords for your listings. All you have to do is type your main keyword phrase into Amazon’s search box and stop before you hit enter. You should see related search terms show up in the dropbox below your entry.
- Utilize Your Competitors: This method is simple as well. Type your main keyword into Amazon (i.e. Yoga Mat) and click on the top ranking listings and borrow their better keyword ideas.
After you discover the keywords you should target, be sure to correctly place them in the proper spots. While the main keywords should be placed in the first few words of the product title, secondary and tertiary keywords are better served in the bullet points and product description and used as back-end search terms.
3. A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words
There are multiple ways in which images can affect your Amazon ranking. While they can factor into the rankings directly, a poor image of the product will also affect your conversion rate.
On the other hand, you can significantly improve your rankings by having professional photos in your listing.
So what does an optimized Amazon image look like?
First and foremost, it’s best to use a professional camera. With some work, you may be able to get away with using a camera from a smartphone, but investing in a professional camera is certainly worth the cost.
Also, while it can be beneficial to have the background removed in some images, you also want to show the potential customer what the product looks like in everyday use. Therefore, if you are selling a coffee maker, you should take pictures of the coffee maker placed on the kitchen counter.
Ultimately, the most optimized images are the images that result in the most clicks. Therefore, the main image, as well as the secondary images, needs to look both appealing and professional to the customer.
4. Sales and Good Reviews Matter Most
At the end of the day, sales are the number one factor in ranking well on Amazon. The number two factor, which isn’t far behind the impact sales have on rankings, are reviews.
For this reason, it can be difficult once you first begin to sell on Amazon, but you shouldn’t feel discouraged if you don’t have many sales and reviews yet, as there are ways to boost your sales through other marketing techniques.
One of the best ways to get quick sales and reviews on Amazon is to utilize Amazon PPC.
Amazon PPC is a way to advertise on Amazon in which you will only pay for every click you receive on your products. Although the ultimate goal is to receive free clicks through search engine optimization, Amazon PPC is a great way to speed up the process of sales.
You can also utilize Google Ads and Facebook/Instagram Ads as a way to drive more traffic to your Amazon product listing.
With that said, running successful ad campaigns can be difficult, and it can sometimes be helpful to hire an Amazon SEO company to help you out.
5. Amazon is Great at Detecting Black Hat Techniques
While it can be tempting to try less honest methods of improving your ranking, such as keyword stuffing or paying for Amazon reviews, it’s important to understand that Amazon over the years has become very successful at detecting black hat techniques.
Therefore, if you try and pay for reviews or place dishonest information on your listing, you run the risk of having your Amazon account suspended or shut down.
While it is important to target the correct keywords, keyword density is also very important and keyword stuffing is never a good idea.
Good Amazon SEO is Indistinguishable From Good Amazon Marketing
Ultimately, Amazon sellers should strive to make their SEO techniques indistinguishable from marketing techniques.
What does this mean exactly?
It’s important to know your customer and the language they will use when searching. Having a better understanding of your customer base and knowing their tendencies and preferences will allow you to fully optimize your listings for Amazon’s search engine.
For more information and to talk about Amazon SEO with our experts, let’s chat!
